Bridge



- w. WAIT i BRIDGE A'FJ-lea dot. 11. 1927 ZSheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. M25/@y h/a/' 1 A TTORNEY Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

PATENT. OFFICE.l

WESLEY WAIT, or NEWBUEGH, NEW YORK.

BRIDGE.

VApplication led October 11,1927. Serial No. 225,546.

heretofore constructed, the structural units are joined by bolts and rivets. One of the objects-of the instantinvention is to provide v a structure inwhicli the use of bolts and rivets is obviated to a large extent by the employment of interlocking joints forfthe connections. The means employed for this purpose are described in detail hereinafter, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.`

In the accompanying drawings,'in which simlar reference characters designate corresponding parts,

Figure 1 shows a side elevation, partly in section and partly broken away, of a column and a Stringer at an end of a bridge.

VFigures 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 are detail perspective views of several of the structural units.

Figure is a detail perspective view, showing a group of units employed in the formation of an interlock between the column and the Stringer., v

The drawings illustrate but a single column and stringe-r construction, which is similar to the other three column and stringergirder structures, Yso that it is necessary to show and describe but one of them.

Referring to the drawings column formed ofupper andlower H-sections 10 and 11, respectively, is engaged at lits lower end in interlocked relation with the T-shaped Jroot 12 seated on and secured to the base plate'13 mounted on-the pier 14. The flanged sides 15 oil the'upper column section 10 abut at their lower ends the upper endsof the flanged sides 16 of the lower column section 11. The web 17 of the lower column section is cutawayat the uppervend vbetween the flanged sides 16 tol form Ythe upper transverse seat 18.". In the upper part. of the web l7yis the vertical slot 19 in a median .position Yand extending vthrough -the, transverse .seat 18. -At the Q inner end of the slot 19 is the lower transs verse seatj2. In the upper endsv of the Vlanged sides 16 of the lower column section are the vertical slots 21 in the same plane as the web 17 and with their inner ends coincident with the transverse seat 18. The lower endl of they web 22 of the upper 'col umn section 10 is cut away between the flanged sides 15 to form the transverse seat 23. `The abutting relation of the-upper and lower column sections is such that their webs are positioned in the same plane with the y transverse seats 18 and 23 spaced apart.

Mounted between the abutting ends of the upper' and lower column sections are the ends ofthe I-shapedgirders 24 forming parts of one of thelongitudinal stringers l of the bridge.l The ends of the girders abut and near the end of each are the notches 25 extending transversely i through the ilanges to the web of the girder. With the girders and column sections in assembled relation, the webs of the 'girders fit the slots 21 and theflanged sides of the lower column section register with thev notches 25 of the girders. The webs of the girders are -in the same plane with the webs of the column sections and the lower edges of thev webs'of the Agirders lare seated onv the transverse seats 18 of the lowerA column sections. Seated in the slot 19 in the web of the lower column section is an end of the transverse girder 26, having its engaged end notched similar to the engaged ends of the longitudinal girders 24. By `the mutual engagement of the'lower column section and the girders, an interlock of these parts is providedA that Vsecurely holds them against the stress and strain incident to such structure. 1n detail, a

Means are provided for holdingthe upper column section 10 in upright alinement with the lower column section 11. Placed.' between the abutting ends of the two sections is positionedthe saddle 27.4 It is provided in its upper part with avertica-l s101328 in which is lseated the 'lower end of the web 22 of the upper'column section and in its, lower part there is a vertical slot 29' engaging the websof the girders 24. At its intermediateLpart the saddlehas altransverse opening" 30 merging with the slot 29, they transverse opening fitting the upper flanged sides of the abutting endsy of the girders. Ther saddle fits between the flanges of the abutting sides ofthe upper and lower lco1- uinn sections and serves to p hold V4them AME against relative sidewise movement and also against relative movement transversely o't the girders.

From the column -11 a series of abutting girders 24 extends to an opposite and similar column (not shown) to form one ot the longitudinal stringere ot the bridge. Beyond the column the abutting ends of the girders are engaged by shoes 31 fitting over i the ends. Each shoe has extending through its intermediate part a vertical slot 32 to receive the webs o1 the girders and in its upper and lower parts it has horizontal slots 33 merging with the vertical slot to receive the flanged sides kof the girders. These shoes maintain the engaged girders in alinement and to prevent displacement from their holding positions, they may be bolted to the girders as indicated at 34, Fig. 1. On the shore side of the column 10-11 the girder 24 rests on and is bolted to the bed-plate 35 suitably incorporated in the material of the abutment 36. The column and the gir-ders extending directly therefrom rare relatively braced by `the oppositely disposed I -shaped braces 37,

sented at their lower ends on the girders and engaging at their upper ends the opposite sides of the columnsection 10. At each end of each brace the web 38 (Fig. 4) is cut away "i between the flanged sides 39 to form the diagonal seat 40. In the ends of the flanged sides 39 are the slots 41 extending outwardly from the seat 40 in the same plane as the web 38V. Vith-a brace in position, the diagonal e seats 40 at its ends'respectively abut the flanged sides oi the column and the girder,

y the fiangcs being notched, as at 42, to admit the flanged sides. ln position, the webs of lthe braces and-of the column and girders are in the same plane so that the thrust imparted .from one member to the other travels in lines directly within such plane.

There is combined with the column and `girder structure a suspension means for carrying part ot the-load. A cable 43, with one end attached to the beam section 44 embedded inthe material of the abutment 36 and thereby anchored, extends over the upper en .d of the column 10-11 to the stringer lformed by the girders 24, to which it is yieldingly connected by the means hereinafter described. Mounted on the upper end of the column is the bearing block 45 having a groeve 46' across its top to engagethe cable. vThe lower part of the block is shaped to fit between the flanges of thesides 15 of the upper column section 1() and through the lower partojlj the block extends the slot 47 to fit the upper end of the web 22 of the column section. At the opposite sides of the 'block are the shoulders 48 to seat on the upper ends of the flanged sides 15 of the column section.,' The cable in passing over the bearing block can have play either way with but a slighttendency to displace the upper end of the column and this tendency is opposed by the opposite braces 37. The bearing block is also seated on the upper tace .of

.thet-ransverse girder 49 mounted in the upumn. In the upper part of each shoe 31 is a slot 52 extending in the direction of the stringer. Bolts 53, extending transversely through the shoes 31 and the saddleV 51 form bearings for the sleeves 54 journaled thereon within the upper slots ot' said members. The f cable 43 leads from its anchor 44, over and between the bearing sleeves 53 of the saddle 51, over the bearing block 45, thence successively through the shoes 31 and around the bearing sleeves therein, to thejopposite column (not shown); The devious course of the cable varound the bearing sleeves effects a braking action on the movement ofthe cable relative to the Stringer so that the-strain of a shitting load on the span will be gradually transmitted from one to the other of the cable andstringer,

At intervals the cable and Stringer are connected by the hangers 55, suitably attached at their upper ends to the cable and at their lower ends tothe clips 56 engaging and slidable on the stringer. Each clip (Fig. 6) 56 is provided with a transverse reccss58 to iit the upper flanged side oit the cn- F gaged girder 24 and a vertical slot 59 merging with the transverse slot to titthe web of the girder. Extending across the vertical slot 60 in the upper part of the clip is the pin 61 around which is secured the lower end of the hanger. The clips areslid ontov the lgirder before the latter is secured in place. The clips adjustable on the girder can be readily positioned to accommodate a perpendicular alinement of the hangers suspended from the cable. lAt intervals, transverse floor beams 62 are mounted at their ends at intervals along the girder between the clips.

By means of the foregoing construction an interlocking joint is provided between the column sections and the girders of the Stringer so that the use of bolts and rivets is eliminated to a great extent; also, interlocking joints are provided for the brace', members wit-h thecolumn and Stringer for a like A purpose. Also, Simple connections between the cable and 4Stringer are provided for a ready assembly of the parts without the use 1. In bridge construction, the combination of a Stringer and a column in interlocking relation with the column extending above the stringer, with an anchored cable extending from the Stringer over the crown of the column, and a shoe mounted on the Stringer and having frictional engagement with the cable to permit restricted relative movement between the Stringer and the cable.

2. In bridge construction, the combination of a Stringer and a column in interlocking relation with the column extending above the Stringer, with an anchored cable extending from the Stringer over the crown of the column, said Stringer comprising a Series of abutting girders, and Shoes respectively overlapping the abutting ends of the adjacent girders to maintain the girders in alinement, each of said shoes having frictional engagement with the cable to permit restricted relative movement between the Stringer and the cable.

3. In bridge construction, the combination of' a Stringer comprising girders abutting at their ends with shoes overlapping the abutting ends of the girders to maintain the girders in alinement, eachof Said shoes having a slot parallel to the longitudinal axis of the Stringer, an anchored cable extending through the slots of the shoes, and means providing a frictional engagement between the Shoes and the cable to permit restricted relative movement between the,

pins mounted in each shoe to extend trans' vorsely across the Slot therein with the cable extending between the pins to be frictionally engaged thereby.

5. In bridge construction, the combination of Supporting and brace members formed of I-sections in inclined relation and with an end of the brace member interlocking with an intermediate part of the Supporting member, the interlocking end of the brace member having its web eut away to form a diagonal seat and having its flanged Sides provided with median longitudinal Slots coincidentl with the cut away part of the web,the diagonal seat of the brace abutting a flanged Side of the supporting member and Said flanged side having notches in its flanges to yadmit the flanged sides of the brace. v

6. In bridge construction, the combination of a column and a Stringer in mutual interlocking relation at their intermediate parts, means for Supporting the outer ends of the Stringer on opposite sides Vof the column, braces extending diagonally between opposite sides of the upper part of the column and the Stringer, said braces being interlocked at their opposite ends with the column and stringer respectivelyand an anchored cable extending over the crown of the `column and connected with the Stringer beyond the braces.

7. In bridge construction, the combination of a column and a Stringer in mut-ual interlocking relation at their intermediate parts, the upper part of said column being of I-section, a crown block mounted on the upper end of the column t-ting between the flangesy of the I-seetion and having shoulders extending over the ends of the flanged sides and also having a vertical recess engaging the end of the web of the I-section, Said block also having a groove in its top extending in 'the Same direction as the Stringer, and an anchored cable extending over the crown block in the groove thereof and yieldingly connected with the Stringer on opposite sides of the column.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my si gnature.

WESLEY WAIT. 

